Spud fitting coating apparatus



July 30, 1957 E. c. PLOETZ SPUD FITTING CATING APPARATUS Filed Dec.

MW Q

EDWIN C. PLOETZ ATTORNEYS.

United States SPUD FITTING COATING APPARATUS Application December 7,1953, Serial No. 396,643

7 Claims. (Cl. 118-326) This invention relates to an apparatus forcoating the peripheral surface of spud littings with a corrosionresistant material.

Steel containers or tanks are frequently coated with vitreous enamel,glass, plastic or other similar coating materials to protect the samefrom corrosion. The coating material is generally applied to theinterior surfaces of the tank by spraying. In the past, when sprayingthe interior surfaces of tanks, diiculty has been encountered insatisfactorily coating the peripheral surfaces of the spud fittingswhich are secured within openings in the vessel wall and are adapted toreceive plumbing pipes or the like. This difficulty arises because thespuds extend generally perpendicular or normally tothe walls of the tankand therefore extend generally parallel to the direction of spraying. Asa consequence, portions of the spud surface are frequently uncoated orthinly coated and concentrated corrosion of these uncoated portions willthereby result.

The present invention is directed to an apparatus for coating theperipheral surface or side walls of a spud tting and which does notpermit glass to spill to the tank wall adjacent the spud or permit thecoating material to drip to the portion of the tank diametricallyopposite the spud location.

According to the invention, the spud coating apparatus comprises ahollow cup-shaped casing which serves to contain the coating materialand distribute such material onto the spud surfaces and a pilot disposedaxially of the casing and insertable within the spud to align the spudcoater thereon. The casing surrounds the Spud and the open end of thecasing bears against the interior tank wall. The coating material isdirected through a series of apertures in the casing perpendicularlyagainst the outer surface or wall of the spud to coat the same. Theexcess coating material is collected within the closed end of the casingand drained olf.

By this construction the coating material is applied only to the spudsurfaces, and the coating material will not spill or drip onto theinterior tank surfaces. The present invention produces a uniformlycoated spud surface with a minimum use of coating material.

Y The drawing illustrates the best mode presently contemplated ofcarrying out` the invention,

In the drawing:

Figure l is a sectional view ofthe spud coating apparatus as insertedwithin a spud in a tank wall;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic View of the pumping system; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the coated spud as secured within anopening in the tank wall.

The drawing illustrates a tank 1 or other container to be lined with aprotective coating such as vitreous enamel, glass, plastic or the like.

A spud 2 is secured within a suitable opening in tank 1, by welding, asindicated by the resistance fillet weld 3. The Spud 2 serves as aconnection for the plumbing pipes attent` O 2,800,876 Patented July 30,1,957

rice

or other xtures that are to extend within the vessel or as a drain orthe like.

The spud coating apparatus of the invention is ernployed to coat theperipheral surface of the Spud and the weld 3 with a corrosion resistantcoating material. The spud coating apparatus comprises in general ahollow, cup-shaped casing 4 and a pilot tube 5 which is disposed axiallyof casing 4 and is adapted to be inserted within Spud 2 to center thecasing about the spud.

The hollow interior of casing 4 is divided into an outer chamber 6 andan inner chamber 7 by tubular member S which is disposed concentricallyof the outer wall of casing 4 and spaced approximately equidistantbetween the outer wall and pilot 5. As shown in the drawing, the one endof tubular member 8 is threaded into casing 4 and the other end bearsagainst the wall of tank 1. The tubular member 8 and the casing may beformed integrally if desired.

The coating material is introduced into the outer annular chamber 6through a fitting 9 which is suitably Secured within an opening in theouter wall of the casing 4.

`The coating material is directed against the outer periphery of Spud 2and weld 3 thro-ugh a series of circumferentially spaced openings 10which provide communication between the chambers 6 and 7. Openings 10are disposed adjacent the tank abutting end of tubular member S, and thecoating material is forced under pressure from chamber 6 throughopenings 10 against the periphery of spud 2 and weld 3 to coat the same.As the openings 10 are spaced completely around the spud 2 and aredisposed generally perpendicularly to the Spud surface the entire spudsurface will be uniformly coated with the coating material.

The excess coating material which drips from spud 2 is collected withinchamber 7.

To seal olf chamber 6 and prevent the Spud coating material from coatingthe tank wall, an annular resilient seal 11 is secured across the outerend of casing 4 and tubular member 8. Seal 11 bears against the tankwall and is compressed to prevent the coating material from leaking fromthe casing 4. The outer end of tubular member 8 projects outwardlybeyond the o-uter end of casing 4, and the seal is provided with agenerally wedge-shaped cross section with the thicker edge thereof beingsupported by the casing 4. This construction provides a firm and uniformsealing engagement between the casing and tubular member and the tankwall.

The pilot 5 has a generally cylindrical shape and is tapered at theouter end to a generally blunt conical tip 12 to facilitate insertion ofthe pilot within the Spud 2. The diameter of pilot 5 is slightly lessthan the opening in spud 2 so that the pilot may be readily insertedtherein and yet maintain an accurate alignment of the casing about thespud.

Pilot 5 is provided with an axial bore 13, and a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced ports 14 provide communication between axialbore 13 and inner chamber 7 of the Spud coater casing 4. The excesscoating material is discharged from the chamber 7 through an outletfitting 15 which is secured to the casing 4 and communicates with bore13 in pilot 5.

Any conventional pumping system can be employed to supply the coatingmaterial to the spud coating apparatus. As shown in Fig. 2, the pumpingsystem comprises a pressure tank 16 wherein the coating material isstored in liquid form such as enamel slip. Air, under pressure, isintroduced into the upper portion of tank -16 through line 17.

The coating material under pressure of the air in line 17 passes throughline 18 to inlet fitting 9. The entry of the material to the spudcoating apparatus is regulated by a valve 19 which is disposed in line18. The valve 19 is controlled by the operator to permit passage of thecoating material to the inlet 9 when desired.

The excess coating material discharged from the apparatus through:outlet is drawn through line 20 by vacuum pump 21 and is returned fromthe pumpto the pressure tank 16.

The spud coater of the invention is adapted to be used to coat theperipheral surfaces of a spud prior to the coating of the wall of thevessel or tank. To operate the apparatusthe pilot 5 is initiallyinserted within spud 2 so that seal 11 bears firmly against the tank 1.Valve 19 is then actuated by the operator to admit the coating materialthrough inlet 9 to chamber 6. The coacting material passes through thecircumferential openings 1t) and is directed against .the outersurfaceof the spud to coat the same. The'excess coating; material not adheringto spud Z is collected within chamber 7 and passes through ports 14,bore 13, fitting 15, line" 20 to pump 21, and then to pressure tank 1`6.

The *present invention provides an apparatus which will effectively anduniformly coat the outer surface of spud fittings with a minimum use ofcoating material. The coating material is directed or sprayed solely onthe spudsurface and the fillet weld joining the spud to the tank wall.No coating material can spill or drip onto the tankwall during thecoating of the spuds.

This latter factor serves to produce a more uniform coated tank becauseof the absence of drippings which ordinarily occur when coating spuds bya conventional method.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as withinthe scope of the following claims particularly pointing out anddistinctly claim the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

, l. An apparatus for applying a coating of a corrosionresistantmaterial to the peripheral surface of a spud secured within an openingin a vessel wall with the body portion of the spud projecting from theopening, comprising aV generally tubular member having an open endadapted to bear against the surface of the wall of the vesselsurrounding the projecting portion of the spud and having a closedbottom end, a sealing member disposed 0n the open end of the tubularmember and adapted for sealing'engagement with the surface of the wallof the vessel surrounding the projecting portion of the spud, a'rpilotsecured axially of said member and projecting `from the open endthereof, said pilot being adapted to be insertedV within the spud toproperly index the apparatus relative to the spud, means for introducingthe coating material under pressure to said member and directing` thecoating material generally perpendicularly against the peripheralsurface of the spud adjacent the junction of the spud and the vesselwall to coat said surface, and means for discharging the excess coatingmaterial from the member.

2. An apparatus for applying a coating of a corrosionresistant materialto the peripheral surface of a spud secured within an opening in avessel wall with the body portion of the spud projecting from theopening, com prising a generally tubular member having-an open outer endand having a closed bottom end, said'member being provided with aplurality of circumferentially spaced apertures in the wall adjacent theopen end thereof, a sealing member disposed on the outer end of thetubular member and adapted for sealing engagement with the wall ofthe`vessel surrounding therprojecting portion of .the spud, pilot meansassociated with-the memberfor properly indexing the apparatus relativevto the spud, means for passing the coating material through'saidopenings and directing the same against the peripheral surface of thespud to coat the same, and means for discharging the excesscoatingmaterial from the member.

3. An apparatus for applying a ycoating of a corrosionresistant materialto the peripheral surface of a spud secured within an opening in avessel wall with the body portion of the spud projecting from theopening, comprising a hollow generally cup-shaped casing having an openend opening against the wall of the vessel surrounding the projectingportion of the spud, said casing being formed with an outer annularchamber and a central inner chamber and having a plurality of circularlyspaced apertures connecting said outer and inner chamber adjacent theopen end of said casing, a pilot secured axially within said innerchamber and projecting outwardly of the open end of said casing, saidpilot being adapted to be positioned within the spud so that the spud isdisposed within the inner chamber and said pilot having a central boreand a plurality of ports in the wall thereof establishing communicationbetween the bore and the inner chamber, means to introduce a coatingmaterial under pressure into said outer chamber, said coating materialpassing through said apertures and being directed .against theperipheral surface of the spud to coat the same with the excess coatingmaterial being collected in said inner chamber, and means connected tothe bore in said pilot for discharging the excess coating material fromthe inner chamber.

4. An apparatus for applying a coating of. a corrosionresistant materialto the peripheral surface of `a spud secured within an opening in a tankwall, comprising a generally tubular member having an open end adaptedto bear against the inner-surface of the wall of the tank surroundingthe spud and having a closed bottom cnd, a pilot secured axially withinsaid member and projecting outwardly of the open end thereof forinsertion within the spud to properly index the apparatus relative tothe spud, an outer casing spaced outwardly of the member to provide anannular inlet chamber therebetween, said member being provided with aplurality of apertures adjacent the open end thereof to providecommunication between the inlet chamber and the interior of said member,means to introduce the coating material under pressure into said inletchamber with said coating material passing through sa-id apertures andbeing directed against the peripheral surface of the spud to coat thesame with the excess coating material being collected in said member,vand means for discharging the excess coating material from the memberwithout contact by the material with the wall of the tank.

5. An apparatus for applying a coating of a corrosionresistant materialto the peripheral surface of a spud secured within an opening in a tankwall, comprising a generally tubular member having an open end adaptedto bear against the under-surface of the wall of the tank surroundingthe spud and having a closed lower end, a pilot secured axiallywithinsaid member and projecting outwardly of the open end thereofv forinsertion within the spud to properly index the apparatus relative tothe spud, an outer casing radially spaced from the member to provide aninlet chamber therebetween which is closed at one end and open at theother with said member projecting `a slight distance outwardly of theopen end of said casing and having a plurality of openings adjacent theopen end thereof to provide communication between the inlet chamber andthe interior of said member, an annular resilient seal disposed acrossthe open end of the chamber between the casing and member with said sealhaving a generally wedge-shaped cross section to provide the outerportion of the seal with the greatest thickness, means to introduce thecoating material under pressure into said inlet chamber-with saidcoating material passing through said apertures and being directedagainst the peripheral surface or"Y the spud to coat the same with-theexcess coating material being collected in said member, and means fordischarging the excess coating material from the member without contactby the material with the wall ofthe tank.

6. An apparatus for applying a coating of a corrosionresistant materialto the peripheral surface of a spud secured within an opening in avessel wall, comprising a generally tubular member having an open end`adapted to bear against the under-surface of the wall of the vesselsurrounding the spud and having a closed end, a pilot secured axiallywithin said member and projecting outwardly of the open end thereof forinsertion within the spud to position the apparatus so that the spud isdisposed radially inwardly of the member, a pressure tank to contain thecoating under a substantial pressure, a conduit extending between saidtank and the interior of said member for conducting the coating materialto said member, a valve disposed in said conduit to control the entry ofcoating material to said member, a discharge conduit extending betweenthe interior of s'aid member and said tank for conveying the excesscoating material from the member, and vacuum means in the dischargeconduit for withdrawing excess coating material from the member.

7. A spud coater for applying a liquid coating of corrosion-resistantmaterial to a Spud having a llange disposed against the wall of a tankand a tubular body portion extending through an opening in the tank andpresenting the peripheral and end surfaces thereof for coating, saidspud coater comprising a cup shaped housing of generally circular shapeand closed at one end and open at the other, a circular partitionextending from the closed end of said housing to the open end thereofand abutting the wall of the tank around the spud and circumferentiallyspaced therefrom, said partition providing an inner and outer chamber inthe housing, a resilient seal interposed between the tank wall and theends of the housing and partition to seal olf the outer chamber, a pilotmember extending through the spud coater housing for extending into thetubular body of the spud to properly index the spud coater relative tothe Spud with said pilot member having a central bore, a plurality ofpassages between the inner and outer chambers adjacent the spud area tobe coated, a second series of passages between the inner chamber andpilot bore, means to force coating material under pressure into theouter chamber and thence to the inner chamber through the rst namedseries of passages and against the spud with excess material passing tothe pilot bore through the second series of passages, and means todischarge excess material therefrom.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,258,071 Winter Mar.5, 1918 2,084,094 Kronquest Iune 15, 1937 2,159,091Kopitke Mar. 23, 1939 2,410,626 Boudreau Nov. 5, 1946 2,600,161 FouseJune 10, 1952

